The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

‘House’ bows out with a funeral and plenty of twists

Tue, 22 May 2012 04:02:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 22 — Medical drama “House” bowed out yesterday after eight years on television with a funeral, a friendship and multiple devious plot twists. As the curtain fell on one of the most popular TV series in the world, the misanthropic but brilliant diagnostician Dr Gregory House, played by Hugh Laurie, solved the most perplexing puzzle ...

Cannes film festival abuzz as dark tales shine

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:32:42 GMT

CANNES, France, May 22 — The Cannes film festival is buzzing this year with a string of hit movies in the official lineup, a procession of stars on the red carpet and plenty of eagerly awaited titles still to come. The unseasonably cold, wet weather has done little to dampen spirits among the famously picky critics and journalists on the French ...

Whitney Houston’s last record released for ‘Sparkle’

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:18:14 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 22 — Whitney Houston’s last recording — a new duet with “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks — was released yesterday ahead of the singer’s upcoming film, “Sparkle”. “Celebrate”, produced by R. Kelly for “Sparkle”, which will hit cinemas on August 17, was recorded by Houston shortly before her sudden death aged 48 in February. The ...

Bill Murray stars as FDR in ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:02:09 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 21 – The first trailer for Hyde Park on the Hudson, starring Bill Murray (Moonrise Kingdom, Lost in Translation) as US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was released May 20. The historical drama focuses on the weekend in 1939 of the first visit to the US by England’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Roosevelt’s New York ...

Michael Jackson is still ‘Bad,’ 25 years after album

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:54:08 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 21 – Michael Jackson’s “Bad” returns this September with new music and never-before-seen concert video in the first re-release of a full album from the King of Pop’s catalog since he died in 2009, Jackson’s record company and estate said today. The “Bad 25” deluxe package, released on September 18, commemorates the 25th ...

Danish child abuse film shocks Cannes crowds

Mon, 21 May 2012 07:53:55 GMT

CANNES, May 21 — Danish director Thomas Vinterberg burst on to the scene in Cannes in 1998 with the acclaimed “Festen”, and critics say he is close to his best again this year with “The Hunt”, a shocking take on child abuse and its impact on a small community. Unlike some movies on the same theme, The Hunt leaves no doubt as to the main ...

Adele, LMFAO sweep tribute-filled Billboard Awards

Mon, 21 May 2012 04:45:37 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 21 — Energetic performances and heart-felt tributes took center stage at the Billboard Music Awards yesterday, as Adele, LMFAO, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift came away top awards. British Grammy-winning singer Adele won 12 awards from 18 nominations for her juggernaut album “21,” including top artist, top female ...

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb dies aged 62

Sun, 20 May 2012 23:18:34 GMT

LONDON, May 21 − Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who with brothers Barry and Maurice helped define the disco era with their falsetto harmonies and funky beats on smash hits such as “Stayin’ Alive” and “Jive Talkin’,” has died after a long fight with cancer. He was 62. The singer had colon and liver cancer and, despite brief improvements in his health ...

Cannes director Haneke faces death in moving ‘Love’

Sun, 20 May 2012 23:08:42 GMT

CANNES, May 21 — It is a subject rarely tackled in cinema, but Austria’s Michael Haneke forces us to confront the reality that will befall us all — the end of life — in “Love”, his beautiful and devastating film at Cannes. The French-language feature “Amour” follows an elderly married couple, former music teachers, who are enjoying a comfortable ...

Kanye West to debut short film ‘Cruel Summer’ at Cannes

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:18:13 GMT

CANNES, May 20 — Hip hop artist Kanye West will debut his short film ‘Cruel Summer’ on May 23 at this year’s Cannes Film Festival it was announced on Friday, May 18. The short art film was apparently inspired by the G.O.O.D Music album of the same name. Kanye West promises “a fusion of short film and art installation” and an “immersive ...

Filipino Christian conservatives denounce Lady Gaga concert

Sat, 19 May 2012 15:37:01 GMT

MANILA, May 19 — Conservative Christian groups in the Philippines today marched near a shopping mall to demand the cancellation of Lady Gaga’s two concerts next week, saying her songs carried “demonic” undertones. The protests in the heavily Catholic Philippines followed a decision this week by authorities in Indonesia, a secular state but with ...

Joke on Europe as Madagascar sequel comes to Cannes

Sat, 19 May 2012 14:39:06 GMT

CANNES, France, May 19 — The joke is on Europe, and in particular France, with the third animated “Madagascar” adventure, which had its world premiere at the Cannes film festival yesterday, bringing big names in comedy to the red carpet. “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”, from DreamWorks Animation, is the first instalment in the franchise to be ...

‘Vampire Diaries’, Justin Bieber lead Teen Choice nominees

Sat, 19 May 2012 05:51:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 19 — TV show “The Vampire Diaries” earned a leading six nominations for the annual Teen Choice awards yesterday, with Justin Bieber and talent show “American Idol” coming a close second with five nods apiece. “Vampire Diaries”, which airs on the CW network, pushed aside blockbuster movies like “The Avengers” and “The Hunger Games” ...

Noomi Rapace in ‘Prometheus’ viral video

Sat, 19 May 2012 01:24:36 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 19 — The latest viral video from Ridley Scott’s upcoming film Prometheus, features Noomi Rapace as Dr. Elizabeth Shaw in a foreboding video message. The Prometheus video shows Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Iron Man 2) sending a request to the Weylund Company to send her to the place where the secrets to life will be ...

Make your mind up J.Lo, says ‘American Idol’ producer

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:41:25 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 19 — Jennifer Lopez and “American Idol” producers played a cat-and- mouse game yesterday over the singer’s future on the TV talent show that revived her career and sent her to the top of a global celebrity power list. “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe said yesterday that Lopez (picture) must decide whether to sign up as a ...

‘Madagascar 3’ roars: Twitter highlights from Cannes

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:06:22 GMT

CANNES, May 18 — “Cannot wait for Madagascar 3 to come out,” say Twitter users after the animated film made its Cannes debut. Further online reaction to this latest edition in the much-loved animated franchise can be found below in this latest article from Relaxnews examining social media reaction to the Cannes Film Festival. The third in the ...

Chinese ‘Mystery’ opens Cannes sidebar race

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:21:40 GMT

CANNES, May 18 — A Chinese thriller about a family man leading a double life kicked off the parallel new talent section of the Cannes Film Festival yesterday, in presence of director Lou Ye and his cast. British director Tim Roth heads the jury for this year’s “Un Certain Regard” competition, with new work from 17 up-and-coming directors including ...

‘Avengers’ may sink ‘Battleship’s’ US launch

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:26:13 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 18 — The big-budget action film “Battleship”, produced by Comcast’s Universal Pictures, is shaping up to become the next film to fall victim to record box office march of “The Avengers”. Universal’s new sci-fi blockbuster, which opens on May 18 in 3,690 US and Canadian cinemas, was projected to rake in ticket sales of US$35 ...

Jessica Sanchez, Phillip Phillips make ‘Idol’ final

Fri, 18 May 2012 03:35:29 GMT

NEW YORK, May 18 — He brought the “American Idol” judges to their feet, but Joshua Ledet couldn’t win over fans and was sent home from the top-rated TV talent show yesterday, leaving Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips to battle for the crown on next week’s finale. The elimination of Ledet — through audience voting and not by the judges — sets up ...

Disco queen Donna Summer dies at 63

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:16:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 18 — Disco queen Donna Summer, whose sultry voice and pulsing rhythms on hits such as “Last Dance” and “Love to Love You Baby” defined the 1970s disco era, died of cancer yesterday at age 63. Summer, who won five Grammys and sold more than 130 million records worldwide, died surrounded by her family in Naples, Florida, publicist ...

Van Halen postpone more than 30 concert dates

Thu, 17 May 2012 23:53:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 18 — Rock band Van Halen yesterday postponed more than 30 concert dates of their US summer tour, leading to speculation the “Runnin’ with the Devil” group was feuding again. The band’s official website, van-halen.com, took down all its dates after June 26, listing only 15 more shows, ending in New Orleans. Closely-watched fan ...

Forbes names Jennifer Lopez ‘most powerful’ star

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:56:19 GMT

NEW YORK, May 17 – Jennifer Lopez is the world’s most powerful celebrity, according to Forbes magazine in a rankings based on a combination of earnings, press coverage and Internet presence. Lopez (picture) headed the 100-strong list, up from 50th last year, while her American Idol colleague Ryan Seacrest was 29th. Lady Gaga, the pop singer, came ...

Busy Lopez casts doubt on more ‘American Idol’

Thu, 17 May 2012 01:00:05 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 17 — Jennifer Lopez is casting doubt on whether she will return to “American Idol” next year as she juggles motherhood with a comeback in both her pop music and acting careers. Lopez, who has young twins, told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres this week that she wasn’t sure about renewing her contract as a judge on the TV singing ...

Britney is back — and so are the brickbats

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:10:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 17 — Britney Spears has not even taken her seat as the new judge of “The X Factor,” but the pop icon is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before the celebrity knives were out, raising the ...

‘Godfather of Go-Go’ Chuck Brown dies aged 75

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:05:18 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 17 — Chuck Brown, known as the “Godfather of Go-Go” for the subgenre of funk music he helped create, died yesterday at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore after being admitted earlier this month suffering from pneumonia. A spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed the death but could not provide a cause, and Brown’s ...

‘Moonrise Kingdom’ called ‘very, very funny,’ ‘chic and charming’: Twitter highlights from Cannes

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:59:37 GMT

CANNES, May 16 — Wes Anderson’s tale of young love and escape Moonrise Kingdom is the opening film for this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Critics and other attendees of the first screening took to Twitter to express their opinions, a selection of which can be found below in the first of a series of articles from Relaxnews examining social media ...

Bradley Cooper stars in ‘Hit and Run’

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:51:24 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 16 — The first trailer for the romantic-comedy Hit and Run, starring Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) and Kristin Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) was released May 15. Cooper, who wears dreadlocks, plays the former cohort of Dax Shepard’s character, an ex-bank robber in the witness protection programme whose past returns to haunt ...

Baron Cohen’s dictator storms Cannes, camel in tow

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:14:45 GMT

CANNES, May 16 — It took no less than a live camel strolling the promenade in Cannes to steal the show on the film festival’s opening day, a feat that comedian Sacha Baron Cohen pulled off with chutzpah today. The British satirist, star of “Borat” and “Bruno,” used the novel public relations stunt to draw attention to the US opening of his new ...

A Minute With: Lopez, Banks on expectations when ‘Expecting’

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:29:08 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 16 — Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Banks — stars of this Friday’s baby comedy movie “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” are two Hollywood moms who could not be more different. Lopez is a newly divorced, singer and actress with twin toddlers, Max and Emme, whose busy schedule includes being a judge on TV’s “American Idol” and ...

Ex-captive Shalit brings reality to set of Homeland

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:06:39 GMT

JERUSALEM, May 16 — Showtime’s award-winning drama Homeland got a taste of reality when former captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit stopped by the set during filming in Jaffa. Homeland is a psychological thriller about the recovery of a US marine suspected by the CIA of being an agent of his former al Qaeda captors. It is based on the Israeli ...

Aaron Sorkin to pen screenplay for Steve Jobs film

Wed, 16 May 2012 04:32:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 16 — Steve Jobs’ life will be brought to the big screen by Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin in a movie based on Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography of the enigmatic co-founder of Apple, maker of iPods and iPads. Sony Pictures Entertainment yesterday unveiled plans to put Sorkin, who wrote Facebook film “The Social ...

‘Voice’ winner Jermaine Paul to stay true to roots

Wed, 16 May 2012 01:46:21 GMT

NEW YORK, May 16 — Jermaine Paul, the newly crowned winner of popular TV singing competition “The Voice”, wants to make music that ordinary Americans like himself and his family can relate to — with a few celebrity cameos, of course. R&B singer Paul, a former backup for Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, told reporters on a conference call yesterday ...

How to be funny by Kuah Jenhan

Wed, 16 May 2012 01:12:49 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Watching Kuah Jenhan getting nervous is not something expected of a celebrated stand-up comedian. But there he stood, apprehensive in front of a few teenagers as he coached them in an hour-long workshop on being funny. “I was more nervous than everyone else — I know I’m going to ruin their lives, but I want to ruin it ...

Masseur drops sex assault claim against John Travolta

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:13:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 16 — One of the two male masseurs who accused actor John Travolta of sexual assault yesterday dropped his US$2 million (RM6.2 million) lawsuit, but the lawyer for the second masseur said he was going ahead with that case and was confident of success. The unidentified man, referred to as John Doe No. 1, who claimed that the ...

New 4-minute ‘Amazing Spider-Man’

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:34:13 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 15 — A ‘super preview’ of The Amazing Spider-Man was premiered on the US television show America’s Got Talent on May 14, running four minutes, it is packed with new footage and a better look at the villainous Lizard. The latest big screen redo of the Marvel superhero, Spider-Man aka Peter Parker, stars Andrew Garfield (The Social ...

Cannes film festival curtain up with comedy, chaos

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:36:03 GMT

CANNES, May 15 — Comedy will dominate the opening of the Cannes film festival tomorrow, with Wes Anderson’s child fantasy “Moonrise Kingdom” in a tussle with Sacha Baron Cohen‘s anarchic alter ego General Aladeen for the attention of the world’s media. Thousands of journalists and movie executives are in the glamorous Riviera resort for 12 hectic ...

Lady Gaga gagged in Indonesia after Islamic opposition

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:58:40 GMT

JAKARTA, May 15 — Pop star Lady Gaga has been refused a permit to perform in the Indonesian capital next month over security concerns, police said today, after Islamic groups voiced strong objections to her “vulgar” style. Three Islamic groups have expressed their opposition to the concert on June 3, demanding it be stopped, national police ...

James Franco curates ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ exhibition

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:45:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 15 — Actor James Franco (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), who recently screened his film Francophrenia at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, is also an exhibited artist and a published author. He opens an exhibition this week in Los Angeles, inspired by the iconic film Rebel Without a Cause. In association with the Museum ...

Julianne Moore joins Chloë Moretz in ‘Carrie’ reboot

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:43:10 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 15 — The 1976 horror classic Carrie starring Sissy Spacek and John Travolta is getting a remake with Chloë Moretz (Dark Shadows, Kick-Ass) in the starring role and Julianne Moore has signed on to play her mother, according to entertainment website Deadline Hollywood. Based on the Stephen King novel, the story of a mousy girl with ...

No more monkey business at NBC, time for Revolution

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:10:04 GMT

NEW YORK, May 15 — The NBC network yesterday brought a monkey to pitch new programmes to prospective advertisers, looking to highlight a new comedy set in a veterinary clinic rather than the circus its primetime lineup has been in recent years. “Animal Practice” was among the shows NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt showcased at the upfront ...

Natalie Wood’s Mercedes up for auction

Tue, 15 May 2012 02:11:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 15 — Natalie Wood’s vintage Mercedes Roadster is going up for auction in July, more than 30 years after her death at sea, auctioneer Profiles in History said yesterday. Wood’s white 1967 Mercedes 250SL Roadster Coupe automatic, which comes with a certification card, has 106,000 miles on the clock and is expected to fetch between ...

Spears, Lovato sign on to ‘The X Factor’

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:46:08 GMT

NEW YORK, May 15 — Britney Spears and former Disney Channel star Demi Lovato yesterday officially joined the US version of “The X Factor”, leading creator Simon Cowell to pledge the second season would “seriously kick butt” when it returns in September. Spears, 30, the world’s biggest pop phenomenon of the 2000s, and Lovato, 19, will fill the ...

Michael Jackson costumes shown on world tour

Mon, 14 May 2012 23:45:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 15 — A collection of costumes worn by the late Michael Jackson is going on a global tour starting next month ahead of an auction in Beverly Hills in December, Julien’s Auctions said yesterday. The exhibition, to open in Santiago, Chile, on Friday, will include one of the singer’s signature crystal-covered gloves, a military-style ...

‘Desperate Housewives’ find happy endings on TV

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:51:38 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 14 – For eight years, the women of Wisteria Lane battled alcoholism, cancer, cheating husbands and direct attempts on their lives, but in the TV series finale on Sunday, four “Desperate Housewives” lived a fairy tale ending. “This street is a lot of things, boring is not one of them,” Teri Hatcher’s Susan Delfino told the new ...

Will Ferrell in ‘The Campaign’

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:38:26 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 14 – The first trailer for The Campaign starring Will Ferrell was released online this weekend. The Campaign, which costars Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) and is directed by Jay Roach (Meet the Fockers, Austin Powers), follows a pair of political candidates, a slick incumbent with an unexpected and unlikely opponent, a naïve ...

Movie stars and mavericks set course for Cannes

Mon, 14 May 2012 02:55:58 GMT

PARIS, May 14 — Arthouse directors and Hollywood royalty will converge on the French Riviera for two weeks from Wednesday as the Cannes Film Festival rolls out the red carpet for the giants and mavericks of the movie galaxy. David Cronenberg, Ken Loach and Michael Haneke are among the 22 international film-makers vying for the Palme d’Or award at ...

Cannes festival slammed for all-male line-up

Mon, 14 May 2012 02:27:58 GMT

PARIS, May 14 — French feminists on Friday slammed the Cannes Film Festival for failing to include a single woman director in the line-up for the Palme d’Or top award that kicks off next week. There are no female film-makers among the 22 competing for the top award at the May 16-27 festival, and just two among the 17 in its new talent section “Un ...

‘Avengers’ rings up US$103m in record weekend

Mon, 14 May 2012 01:03:04 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 14 — “The Avengers,” the smash hit movie about Marvel superheroes who team up to save the Earth, crushed competitors for a second weekend with a record US$103.2 million (RM316.8 million) in US and Canadian ticket sales and was poised to top US$1 billion worldwide, studio estimates showed yesterday. After posting the highest ...

Travolta lawyer debunks sex claim by third man

Sun, 13 May 2012 10:25:23 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 13 — John Travolta’s lawyer has hit back at “ridiculous” new claims of sexual advances levelled at the actor by a third man, as a first accuser backtracked on the date of an alleged Beverly Hills incident. Cruise ship worker Fabian Zanzi claimed on a Chilean TV show, “Primer Plano”, that the Hollywood star offered him US$12,000 ...